The One He Loves
by TwoFacedPierrot
Summary: Kise unconsciously kissed Aomine on the cheek after a tournament game. Aomine becomes all flustered and confused. Kuroko somehow ends up playing cupid to get them together. Teikou years. Drabble-ish? AoKise. cheesy fluff.


**Lemme get this straight. This is not Ahomine's birthday fic. I dislike him mainly because he made Tetsu-chi cry. But since he was the one who gave him happiness during their years in Teikou and all that, I guess I'll forgive him for today =u= Happy Birthday you stupid Aomine! /shot**

**anywayyyy I was desperate to write some fluff without someone dying and at the same time I wanted to write something related to the AoKise pairing lol. This turned out A LOT cheesier than I thought it would OTL **

**oh well :I Excuse my mistakes! KuroBasu isn't mine! Thanks in advance for reading!**

* * *

Kise Ryouta had never idolized anyone.

He had a face that could make anyone jealous - male or female alike. He was a part-time model. He had charms. He had good grades. And he excelled in almost any sport he played.

If there's anyone to be idolized, it was himself.

But Kise was bored with his life. He found nothing interesting about his looks that left females gaping in his wake. He found nothing interesting learning from lessons when he could just memorize the textbook without any problems.

And it was the same with every sport he tried; be it tennis, football or badminton. Nothing caught his interest, because all he needed was one look.

One look and he could copy - and even improve a technique or move that usually takes at least months to master. Within a few seconds.

More than once, Kise had wished he wasn't born so utterly _perfect_, as narcissistic as that sounds. There was no fun in his life anymore. He wanted to do something challenging, something that could make his heart race. Something that could make him shake with excitement. Something that could make him work hard and let him taste the sense of achievement.

It had been a pure coincidence that he'd met Aomine Daiki of the basketball club.

Kise would've preferred a meeting that did not involve violence of any kind, but he wasn't that lucky. It all happened when a basketball suddenly came flying towards his head.

Well, Kise supposes it's karma since he was cursing his perfection when the ball hit him.

"Sorry!"

A tanned boy walked out of the gym as Kise picked the orange item up, rubbing his sore head.

"Why if it isn't the famous and popular Kise-kun!" Aomine had said when Kise handed the ball back. Aomine had a strange excited glint in his eyes as he regarded him, as if he would like to challenge Kise to some kind of duel one day.

Without another word, Aomine disappeared back into the gym, no doubt proceeding with whatever training he was undergoing. Kise raised his eyebrows. Basketball.. he hadn't tried that. Curious, he made his way to the doors of the occupied gym, remembering that he'd heard somewhere that Teikou apparently had one hell of a strong basketball club.

And then he saw it, and he could only stand there in awe.

Aomine's play was a mixture of many things; uniqueness, wildness, and grace. He played not just with skill, but with raw talent. His confident smile never wavered no matter how much pressure his guard was putting on him. He passed several players marking him easily, and scored a beautiful dunk. For the first time in his life, Kise was impressed.

And he'd fallen in love. Not just with the sport, but with the tanned player himself.

It was decided. Kise was joining the basketball club.

**xXx**

Kise sat at the benches, his stomach a mess of nerves.

It was the first official game Akashi allowed him to participate in. Kise felt nauseous. It wasn't that he was doubting his own skills that were deemed worthy by the scary captain himself. Kise might be a very gifted individual, but that did not stop him from feeling worried in a game. He wasn't too keen to make a fool out of himself, after all.

The crowds cheered, and Kise's attention snapped back to the game on court. Kuroko had just made another amazing pass to Aomine. Kise's heart involuntarily skipped a beat when the tanned boy caught the ball, dribbled pass his markers with almost no effort, and dunked the ball in.

_Damnnnn. I want to play like that. _

Kise was to play during the second half of the game, substituting Akashi - who, claimed that he'd seen enough and would be making plans on the bench. Kise figured the guy was just tired, but valuing his life and hair, he kept his mouth shut. As soon as he set foot onto the court, he could feel many eyes trained on him.

"_..Who's that?"_

"_Hey.. isn't that that teen model..?"_

"_..New player?"_

"_..This is good. He might drag the team down a bit.."_

Kise's eye twitched at the last comment made by someone from the opposing team. He glanced at the score board, noting the fifteen point difference. If he made a mistake would they catch up? Would it cost them their victory? Would it let down everyone's expectations?

"Don't listen to them," Aomine clapped a hand over Kise's shoulder. "Not anyone can stand up against _me_ every day. You'll do fine."

Kise's spirits lightened and he felt himself beaming. He saw Kuroko giving him an encouraging nod. He could do this.

"I'll try my best!" he chirped. Aomine grinned and ruffled his hair before running off to take his position.

The rest of the game was a blur. Kise had no idea how many times he'd scored, or how many times he'd received disbelieved stares when he beat his opponent with their own moves. Even so, there was one thing he was sure of.

He was having fun. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. His heartbeat pounded loudly in his ears. Kise _loved_ it.

Teikou scored points after points. Aomine's cooperated play with Kuroko was amazing - as expected of the two who called themselves 'light' and 'shadow'. Midorima's three pointers left everyone in awe. Murasakibara caught every rebound.

And before Kise knew it, there were only fifteen seconds left. The score was 99 - 70, and he was having the ball. Their opponents had yet to give up. The tall centre marking him was not leaving any openings for him to shoot.

"Do it, Kise!" he heard Aomine shout somewhere from his right. "Score our hundredth point!"

Maybe it was because he wanted to do just that. Maybe it was because he wanted to impress Aomine or even make him proud. Kise suddenly found the constant buzzing of cheers from the spectators shut out from his ears. His eyesight seemed to get keener as he concentrated.

_There!_ Kise saw his chance when the centre took his eyes off him for that split second to glance at the scoreboard. He ducked low for a drive, and got pass the surprised guy.

The path to the basket was short, and not guarded. Time seemed to slow down. Kise felt his feet leaving the ground as he jumped as high as he could. He held the ball high in both hands, and as if his life depended on it, he slammed it in.

The buzzer went off the moment Kise landed. There was a moment of stunned silence. Kise turned around. Did he make it?

And then there was a roar of cheers. Kise averted his gaze to the score board. The score under Teikou read 101.

Kise pumped his fist in to the air and laughed like a child who won in a game. He did it! He scored their 100th point!

"I told you you could do it!" Aomine slung an arm over his shoulder, grinning like no tomorrow. That made Kise's smile even wider.

"I know." Kise wasn't aware of what he did until much later. He kissed Aomine. On the cheek. Just a small peck. "Thanks, Aominecchi~"

He was too busy laughing and rejoicing over his first ever victory to notice the tanned boy's reaction after that.

**xXx**

"..I _what_?"

Kise's eyes were wide with bewilderment. He could feel blush rising to his cheeks as Kuroko told him what happened at the end of that game. Why did he wait three months to blurt it out, Kise would never know.

"You kissed Aomine-kun," Kuroko repeated, his deadpanned expression unchanging. It was as if he saw his teammates going not-so-straight for each other every day.

Kise's current face colour could've made beetroots jealous.

"Only on the cheek though," Kuroko added.

"EEEEEEEEEHHHHHHH," Kise fell into a squat, holding the back of his head with his hands as if that would make him invisible or something. Hey, that's not a bad idea. He should ask Kuroko to teach him some disappearing techniques. "God, so that's why Aominecchi seems to be avoiding me all this time..."

Kuroko knelt down so they were about the same height. "Aomine-kun is.. confused, to say the least."

Kise looked up at the pale boy, eyes rimmed with easy tears. "Huh?"

"He does tend to talk a lot when he's nervous," Kuroko noted. "We walk home from school together sometimes. I listen to his rants."

Kise stared at him blankly, not comprehending what Kuroko was trying to tell him.

"Aomine-kun likes you too, Kise-kun," Kuroko went straight to the point. Kise once again felt his cheeks heating up.

"B-B-B-But-" He stuttered. Aomine likes _him_? Kise Ryouta? _Seriously_? "I thought he's more into Kurokocchi!"

It was the smaller boy's turn to stare. His eyebrows were knitted slightly, but he had this strange smile plastered on his face. "_Really _now?"

"Well," Kise hesitated. "He does call you by name. And you guys are light and shadow and all that. Not to mention you seem to be together everywhere."

There was a short moment of silence, and then Kuroko broke into a series of helpless giggles.

"Kurokocchi!"

"I'm sorry," Kuroko said, struggling to regain his composure. "It's just.. Kise-kun's so dense, its rather endearing."

Kise was too stunned to pretty much react.

"I do not know the reason why Aomine-kun calls me by name," Kuroko continued. "But there's nothing special going between us, I can assure you. We are light and shadow only because our style of basketball compliments each other's. And do you know why we're always together?"

Kise shook his head, baffled. Kuroko gave him a sceptical look, as if he expected the blonde to know the answer already.

"You, Kise-kun," Kuroko answered with a small sigh. "We're always together because Aomine-kun wants to know more about you. He figured I'd know a little more about you since you were put under me for a short while. I'm not the one he loves. It is _you_."

The blonde was silent as he took in what Kuroko had told him. Kuroko's eyes flickered away from him for a split second before a small smile graced his lips, and he stood up.

"But.. I suppose I've said enough," the pale boy muttered, turning towards the exit. "I will not involve myself in this any further."

Belatedly, Kise cried out; "Kurokocchi!"

But Kuroko was already gone. Instead, standing there at the doors of the gym was the last person Kise wanted to see at the moment.

"Aominecchi."'

The tanned boy said nothing as he strode over. He towered over Kise's hunched up form for a few seconds before heaving a heavy sigh, and flopping himself down on the cool wooden gym floor.

"Yo."

Tired of squatting for so long, Kise let himself follow suit. The two boys sat in silence, both not knowing how to start a conversation without being utterly awkward about it. Kise could feel Aomine staring intently at him all the while, but he concentrated on the floor instead. After what Kuroko had told him, Kise wasn't sure he could look at Aomine again. Ever.

Neither said a word for a full five minutes. And then Aomine exhaled loudly, scratching the back of his neck.

"This is never going to work.." he mumbled to himself. Slowly, Kise turned to him, raising his delicate eyebrows.

"I guess Tetsu already told you everything, huh?" Aomine said, his turn to look away. He hoped his tan was enough to hide the colour rising to his face.

But Kise saw it, though only faintly. And he too, for the umpteenth time that evening, felt himself going red as he nodded. "Mn."

More awkward silence.

"..Nee, Aominecchi?" Kise suddenly felt like he couldn't take the quietness any longer, despite everything. "Was what Kurokocchi said true? That you.." he trailed off, unable to bring himself to say the word.

"Like you?" Aomine made it sound so casual. "Yeah."

"But.. why me?" Kise hoped that did not come out sounding harsh, because it wasn't meant to be. "Why me when there's so many other girls out there?"

To his mild surprise, Aomine snorted. "I'll answer you when you can answer that question yourself."

"..Because Aominecchi is just so cool," Kise blurted out before he could stop himself. His stared at his basketball shoes as if they were the most interesting things in the world, trying to ignore the strange stares Aomine was giving him. "Your style of basketball inspired me to try the sport that I love so much right now. You were the one who taught me how it felt like to actually try hard and win. You were the one who taught me the joy of victory. And you-"

Kise stopped abruptly when he felt a pair of lips descending upon his own. He froze, eyes widening. His mind was short-circuiting, and he swore sparks were flying all around in his brain. It wasn't anything special - just a brush on his lips, but _dammit_! Aomine was _kissing_ him. _Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. _

"A-Aomi-"

"Shut up, Kise," Aomine hissed, his breath warm on Kise's lips. "Just shut up for once."

"B-But-"

Aomine exhaled exasperatedly, his mood to give the blonde another kiss completely destroyed. He pulled back and once again plopped himself on the floor, this time sitting directly in front of Kise. Kise's face colour at the moment made Akashi's hair pale in comparison. That satisfied the tanned boy a little.

"Stop crying already," Aomine said when Kise started sniffling. "You are _so_ not manly."

"But Aominecchi _kissed_ me!" Kise whined, more tears spilling from his eyes. "It's so embarrassing!"

"At least no one saw us."

"Still!"

Aomine wisely decided not to go on with that argument. Instead, he sat there hugging his knees as he quietly watched the boy that he'd come to love.

'_Why me when there's so many other girls out there?'_

_Because they do not have your golden eyes that shine every time you're worked up. They can never be as cute as you when you're teased. They do not have your amazing talent. They do not have your enthusiasm when you train or play. They cannot make my heart race when I see them. _

_And because they are not you. _

Aomine mentally face-palmed from the cheesiness, but it was the truth - more or less. Ever since he realized his feelings towards Kise, he'd attempted to push the thoughts away. He'd tried to forget about it and go on with life. Girls? His taste involved those with big breasts, and Japanese females are not exactly famous for having huge busts. Momoi? Just the thought alone made Aomine shudder.

It was all going well. Aomine successfully forgot about it when he started focusing more on his gameplay.

And then Kise just _had_ to kiss him after that game.

Basically , Aomine blamed Kise for everything.

"Geez," Without thinking, he reached out and cupped the other's cheek with his large hand. Aomine brushed his thumb under Kise's eye, wiping the tears away. "You're really hopeless, you know that?"

Kise regarded him, sniffling every now and then. Aomine found himself unconsciously smiling.

"Did you really hate it that much?" the taller asked after a pause. Kise reluctantly shook his head.

"Its.. not that I _hate_ it," he mumbled, his voice barely audible. "It's just.. too sudden. I mean-"

"Sorry."

Kise stopped, staring at his companion in disbelief. He was saying sorry? _The_ Aomine Daiki was _apologizing_?

"I'm sorry," Aomine repeated. "I'm sorry for freaking you out just now."

For some reason, Kise was blushing. Again. He hated how easily his face coloured. He wasn't very sure how he should react.

"..It's okay, I guess.." he closed his eyes and leaned against Aomine's touch. A small sigh escaped his lips.

"..Kise?" Aomine spoke up after a while of silence.

"Hmm?" Kise's golden eyes shone when he parted his eyelids. His mood seemed to have improved after the tanned boy's apology. He was smiling again.

"I really like you."

Aomine wondered what made him state such an obvious thing, but Kise only chuckled.

"I really like you too, Aominecchi!"

Aomine felt himself grinning. At least the awkward atmosphere was gradually disappearing. He glanced at the gym clock, and realized with a start that it was already _that_ late.

"We should go home," he said, retracting his now stiff hand before struggling to stand up. "Akashi will kill us if he finds out about us staying behind this long."

Kise wasn't very keen on giving up his life either, so he had no comments. Aomine helped him on his feet, before suddenly yanking him close and once again pressing their lips together.

And this time, Kise kissed back.


End file.
